The Glockenbach District: A Living Model of Diversity
For over 150 years, Munich’s Glockenbach district has been a vibrant space of diversity. Once home to artisanal workshops that thrived along the brook from which the area takes its name, it later became known far beyond the city thanks to Jewish entrepreneurial families. Artists’ studios, the red-light scene, a queer community with safe spaces, and migrant residents who have made the district their home—all have shaped the social and cultural fabric of this unique urban setting.

For the curatorial team of Miro Craemer (artist) and Tanja Hirschfeld (artist), both of whom live and work in the neighborhood with their families, Glockenbach is a role model for urban life, dialogue, and lived respect. Art and culture—deeply rooted here—can be the connective tissue that strengthens peaceful coexistence and makes every individual’s uniqueness visible. To ensure this continues, we need commitment, space, and shared responsibility. That is precisely what the GLOCKENBACH BIENNALE stands for.

“Sorry, Bella” – The 2025 Theme
“Sorry, Bella” may sound like an apology—but it’s much more than that: an invitation to take responsibility.
A wake-up call. A commitment. A promise.

The GLOCKENBACH BIENNALE 2025 engages with the pressing social issues of our time—right within the everyday life of our neighborhood: feminism, diversity, human rights, protection of minorities. These are values that can no longer be taken for granted and must once again be defended. “Sorry, Bella” speaks to future generations with an honest question: Why are we still fighting these battles today? At the same time, the title stands for the courage of self-reflection and for resilience in times of upheaval—even when that means enduring conflict and resisting the lure of easy consensus. It is a declaration of embracing difference, a call to seek new paths, to act in solidarity despite disagreement. Drawing on the spirit of the Italian resistance song Bella Ciao, we build bridges between memory, the present, and the future. We invite artists, collectives, and supporters to join us in creating spaces for art, culture, dialogue, and transformation.

A Neighborhood as Stage
In 2025, the GLOCKENBACH BIENNALE will again take place at the Architekturgalerie München—right at the entrance to the Glockenbach district. The gallery sees itself as a platform for engaging with space and the city, making it an ideal partner for a festival devoted to urban life, participation, and community. The GLOCKENBACH BIENNALE also asks:
How do we live together—today and tomorrow?